Russian Studies

An Exciting Interdisciplinary Major

Have you ever wondered why so many of the villains in Hollywood movies are Russian?
Or why so many people read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? Or what the word vodka really means?

Do you want to study in a close-knit community of students and professors that allows
for guided, free-ranging interdisciplinary research projects, long-lasting friendships
and mentorships, and which hosts weekly events in the Russian House?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then look no further! Russian Studies at
the College of Wooster offers just such a community of learning in which all of your
questions about Russia and Russian will be addressed through the many Russian courses offered by faculty who are committed to excellence in teaching and to promoting undergraduate research.

The study of Russian language, literature, and culture, together with history and
comparative literature, offers new and challenging perspectives on an area of the
world that has long fascinated foreigners and continues to be a significant participant
in the world community.

Russian Studies is one of a number of Wooster’s interdisciplinary majors, along with
Comparative Literature, East Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, South Asian Studies,
International Relations, and Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. These programs
allow students to develop language ability along with diverse academic and professional
interests in anthropology, business, economics, history, a third language, law, literature,
political science, the sciences, and sociology.

Why Russian?

Russian is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 140 million
native speakers, and is considered a critical needs language by the U.S. government. Wooster students have the opportunity to major or minor in Russian, take two full years of Russian here, live in the Russian House with a
native Russian language assistant, and study and research abroad in Russia on a variety
of summer and semester-long programs. Students of Russian are eligible for a number
of scholarships to study in Russia. And with the increasingly important role Russia
is playing in the global community, speakers of Russian are in high demand for a variety
of different careers.

Love Dostoevsky, but have never heard of Pushkin?

The arts in Russia have long been considered among the greatest in the world, from
the cosmopolitan creations of Pushkin and Tchaikovsky, to the profound philosophical
and religious tracts of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, to the musical magic of Stravinsky
and Balanchine, to pioneering directors like Sergei Eisenstein and Andrei Tarkovsky.
At Wooster, you can learn more about these cultural giants and many others in a variety
of courses that fulfill the many of the College’s degree requirements and which are taught by dedicated faculty. And if you fall in love with all things
Russian, as we have, then we offer the Russian Studies Major, which is an interdisciplinary program designed to make students proficient not just
in the language, but in the history, politics, and culture, as well.

So, добро пожаловать! We look forward to seeing you in our classes!

Russian Tea/Russian Table

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 pm, professors, students, and native Russian speakers
from the community come together for an evening gathering in the Russian House (Luce
Hall, Suite F). At Russian Tea, students might find themselves singing along to music,
watching Russian videos, discussing literature, films, or playing games. But whatever
is planned for the night, there is a heaping plate of cookies and some fresh Russian
tea. Also, come join us for lunch in Lowry 247/248 at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and in
Lowry 249 on Fridays (alternating weekly). Learn more.